The Application of Botulinum Toxin in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

The application of botulinum toxin has seen tremendous growth in the past decade. From being a bacterial toxin and one of the most lethal food poisons known to mankind, and later exploited as a biological weapon, botulinum toxin is currently one of the most versatile pharmaceutical agents used in medicine. The toxin finds a plethora of clinical applications in the fields of ophthalmology, neurology, dermatology, dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The use of botulinum toxin in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery has been continuously evolving, for aesthetic and functional indications. However, a collective documentation of its varied applications is lacking. This book provides a compilation of the uses of botulinum toxin in maxillofacial and oral regions, covering basic aspects of the drug, including its origin, pharmacology and preparations, in detail. It also details the dermatological applications of botulinum toxin for cosmetology, as well as its varied therapeutic uses and its application in temporomandibular joint surgery, masseter muscle hypertrophy, bruxism, trismus, maxillofacial traumatology, salivary gland diseases, and facial palsy, among others. The book will appeal to head and neck surgeons, oral maxillofacial surgeons, ENT surgeons and dermatologists in particular, and general surgeons and dentists in general.